During a state visit, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and the German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to further promote the cooperation in the field of energy. The Energy Partnership between Qatar and Germany builds on the ongoing successful dialogue and is expected to be mutually beneficial for both building LNG trade relations as well as for pursuing the climate action ambitions of both countries.

Prior to this, Minister Robert Habeck visited Qatar on March 20 and met with His Highness Sheikh Tamim Al Thani, the Minister of Commerce Kasim Al Abdullah Al Thani and the Minister of Energy Saad Sherida Al Kaabi. During these meetings, important topics of the respective energy sectors were discussed. Both sides identified a high potential for deepened cooperation. Germany aims to diversify its gas supply with the help of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in order to foster energy security during the transition period towards carbon neutrality. At the same time, green hydrogen is to become a crucial energy supplier for Germany. The newly established Energy Partnership will strengthen Germany’s supply diversification through LNG imports from Qatar while also facilitating the bilateral cooperation on green hydrogen. Both countries will also further benefit from an intensified knowledge exchange on topics related to the energy transition, ranging from the expansion of renewable energies, its regulation and system integration, to energy efficiency and demand-side management.

Roadmap of the Energy Partnership

The Energy Partnership between Qatar and Germany will support high- level intergovernmental dialogue on energy related topics. It will build bridges between both countries and bring together stakeholders from the public and private sector. In this context the Qatar Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) as respective responsible authorities will meet regularly. The BMWK and QatarEnergy jointly released a road map for the Energy Partnership outlining the structure and actions of the cooperation. Two working groups were announced:

  • The Working Group on LNG and hydrogen will support the development of LNG and hydrogen trade relations between Qatar and Germany and will provide a forum for discussion around questions regarding necessary infrastructure and regulatory affairs. The Working Group will also assist the cooperation between private sector stakeholders active along the LNG and hydrogen value chain.
  • The Working Group on renewables, energy efficiency and demand-side management will focus on the expansion of renewable energy capacities including related topics such as infrastructure and electricity markets. The working group will create a forum for stakeholders from both countries to engage in a dialogue on necessary framework conditions, the development of infrastructure, and technology. The working group will also facilitate the exchange on energy efficiency solutions that contribute to the decarbonization of the building, transport, and industrial sector. Demand-side management solutions that support the stabilization of electricity systems will also be part of the scope.

Energy Partnerships and Energy Dialogues have proven to be an excellent platform for bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. Germany has established several, striving partnerships all over the world and in the Gulf region itself. The new Energy Partnership between Qatar and Germany is the newest link in a successful network aiming to accelerate the global energy transition.